ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Polish for oily acne-prone skin
Retinyl Palmitate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf
Ascorbyl Palmitate
GlycerinHigh
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few products fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate exfoliation for your oily skin and acne concerns due to sodium bicarbonate and magnesium oxide, which physically exfoliate and provide mild astringent properties, though it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target acne.
- The presence of melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil offers some antimicrobial benefits, which can be helpful for breakouts on oily skin.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, as it does not contain prohibited or harsh ingredients that would cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant as part of your PM routine once a week to start, increasing frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but before your final moisturizer step.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the product directly onto clean, dry skin for the best results against breakouts.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and always use a daily SPF since exfoliating makes skin more sensitive to the sun.
People Say
★4.9Overall rating based on 3.1k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dull, rough, or congestion-prone skin consistently report immediate improvements in texture and radiance, often describing a "glass skin" effect. While highly effective for smoothing fine lines and clearing pores, those with active acne or extreme sensitivity occasionally find the physical exfoliation too abrasive.
Highlights
Instant skin smoothness Mostly Mentioned
- “skin instantly became baby smooth”
- “leaves my skin so soft like a baby butt”
- “feels baby-soft and smooth”
- “smoothest my face has ever felt”
Radiant glow Often Mentioned
- “looking for glowing baby like skin”
- “leaves skin healthy and glowing”
- “notice my skin shining”
- “closest to glass skin I have seen”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “my wallet winced”
- “quite pricey”
- “expensive for the size”
- “wish it was cheaper”
High efficiency Sometimes Noted
- “a little goes a long way”
- “only need a small amount”
- “jar lasts forever”
- “pea-sized amount is enough”
Pleasant experience Sometimes Noted
- “smells very clean and fresh”
- “invigorating citrusy scent”
- “feels like a mini spa treatment”
- “warming sensation is nice”
Rinsing difficulty Rarely Noted
- “hard to rinse off completely”
- “leaves a film”
- “found blue crystals in hairline”
- “sticky residue left behind”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “synthetic scent irritates”
- “fragrance is very strong”
- “smell gave me a headache”
- “wish it was fragrance-free”
Too abrasive Rarely Noted
- “crystals feel rough”
- “stings active pimples”
- “felt like sandpaper”
Sources: lovi.care, zoskinhealth.com, influenster.com, amazon.com, dermstreet.com, newbeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes ZO Exfoliating Polish a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
ZO Exfoliating Polish is a great fit because it offers moderate physical exfoliation for your oily skin and includes tea tree oil, which helps provide antimicrobial benefits for breakouts. It is also safe for your skin and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007Clinical Pharmacology, 2018
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Sodium bicarbonate and magnesium oxide make this exfoliant a good fit by offering moderate physical exfoliation, while tea tree leaf oil helps with breakouts on oily skin. It is also safe and unlikely to cause irritation.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007Clinical Pharmacology, 2018
What does Retinyl Palmitate do for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinyl palmitate helps manage acne-prone skin by reducing acne blemishes and spots while keeping skin irritation low. It works well for oily skin types because it supports normal skin cell turnover and helps keep pores clear, though this type of skin also needs ingredients that control excess oil and soothe inflammation.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2021Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, 2012
What does Vitamin E do for oily acne-prone skin?
Vitamin E is unlikely to clog pores on oily skin and may help calm dryness and redness when you use treatments. Because this skin type needs lightweight hydration and ingredients that protect the barrier without feeling heavy, this product type works best when it balances moisture while keeping pores clear.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2014
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This exfoliant treatment goes in the weekly routine for oily acne-prone skin, starting at once a week after a cleanser and before a cleansing mask, and can be used more often if your skin tolerates it well.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
It is best to use this exfoliant and retinol on different nights or times to keep your skin from becoming too dry or irritated. Using both strong treatments at once may easily upset your skin barrier.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start using this exfoliant treatment once a week as part of your weekly routine, and if your oily acne-prone skin tolerates it well and sees good results, you can carefully use it more often. This product is a great fit, offering moderate exfoliation and helpful antimicrobial benefits for breakouts without harsh ingredients that cause irritation.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This exfoliant is a great fit and is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, as it contains tea tree oil which helps clear up breakouts and safe ingredients that keep irritation low. It provides moderate physical scrubbing to keep your skin smooth, though it does not contain specialized acne-fighting ingredients to actively prevent new spots.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007Clinical Pharmacology, 2018
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, and linalool).
What the research says
Topical 5% tea tree oil gel significantly improved total acne lesions and acne severity index compared to placebo in 60 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris, showing 3.55 times and 5.75 times greater efficacy respectively.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007Lactobacillus-fermented Chamaecyparis obtusa reduced inflammatory acne lesions by 65.3% compared to 38.2% with tea tree oil in 34 patients over 8 weeks, demonstrating superior efficacy, faster onset, and safety.
Dermatology, 2014A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Retinyl palmitate ethosomal hydrogel reduced non-inflammatory and total acne lesion counts significantly better than marketed tretinoin while improving tolerability with minimal skin irritation in patients with acne vulgaris.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2021Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Tea tree oil nanoemulsion containing adapalene gel demonstrated significantly greater reductions in total, inflammatory, and non-inflammatory acne lesions as well as acne severity index compared to adapalene marketed gel in 100 patients with acne vulgaris over 12 weeks.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022Topical tea tree oil treatment confirmed efficacy on Demodex mite blepharitis across fourteen papers evaluating chronic blepharitis compared to no treatment or alternative management.
BioMed Research International, 2022Weekly treatment with tea tree oil-saturated human amniotic membrane showed superior efficacy in healing pityriasis versicolor lesions and fungicidal activity compared to daily application of 1% tioconazole cream in 120 patients.
Cell and Tissue Banking, 2020Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001
Ingredients
Peg-8, Sodium Bicarbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Oleth-20, Trihydroxystearin, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Paraffinum Liquidum Huile Minérale Mineral Oil, Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf, Glycine Soja Soybean Sterols, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Retinyl Palmitate, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Linoleic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Green 6 Ci 61565
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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